The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-13

tell you the true one, just as Mr..
Reed told it to me-"
And then he went on in that bluff
and hearty way of his to tell me the
story. 1t seems that Murdoch, the
elocutionist, was a great friend Of his
during the war. He had a son with
Sheridan, who was killed at Mission
airy Ridge, and the old man came
from Cincinnati to get the body. The
Confederates were occupying the
place where the young soldier was
buried, and the father decided to
wait until the ground was regained.
On Sundays the elocutionist used to
recite poems to the troops around
headquarters, and there was one of
Browoings that the soldiers always
called for. namely, the story of the
ride from Client to AK.
well, you see," continued the
Gen raj, latter the battle of Cedar
creek, there was published in Hdrper's
Weekly story OF my ride from Win
chester and picture of me on the
back of old Rienzi. Murdoch had
agreed to recite poem at q fair,
then being held 10 Cincinnati, and
Read had promised to write some
thing new and appropriate for him.
But when Murdoch called in for the
manuscript the afternoon he was to
recite, he hadn't touched a pen to
paper-said he didn't know what to
write about. Well, Murdoch had
just seen a man who was in the bat
tie and was full of the battle, being
friend of mine, you see; so he just
pulled the copy OF Hdyper's Weekly
from his pocket and repeated to X ad
all the officer had told him. Read
jumped up, locked himself in his
room, wrote the poem off hand in an
hour, got his wife to make a copy aud
had it over to Murdoch before dark.
The elocutionist was delighted with
it and recited it that night" This is
the true story of the famous pom
of "Sheridan's Ride" as old by the
General himself.
With Grant and Sherman Philip
III. Sheridan, perhaps, completes the
trium girate of distinguished leaders
in the United States army of the last
twenty-five years, who, beginning at
almost the humblest rank, marched
forward 10 the highest command.
The first has joined the bivouac of
the dead, his successor, Sherman, is
waiting the last roll call, and Sheri-
dan, on the shady side Of half cen
fury, begins to show the wear of
camp and battle. The onetime dash
ing cavalry leader now rarely rides
horseback, he has grown stout and
little rheumatic, and tipping the
beam at nearly 200 pounds, his sobri-
quet of Little Phil" seems almost a
misnomer. He walks very little and
prefers his own luxurious carriage
or the street cars when he has to go
from one place to another.
As [ have said his social duties are
numerous and he does not greatly
relish them. The army circle at the
seat of Government of which the
commanding general is the head,
constitute brilliant feature in cere
monial or social occasions. 1t en-
braces the general and his military
family, the officers on duty at the
War Office, the officers OF the parri-
son Of the Capital. retired officers
and families of officers who make
their residence in Washington. The
list comprises 179 officers, of whom
sixty-two are retired and twenty five
belong to the garrison. In all state
pageant, as inaugurations, the army
is conspicuous object in the dis
play. The President during the gay
season recognises its first rank in the
war power Of the nation by holding a
reception to "the officers of the
Army, Navy and Marine Corps"
These occasions rank, with the |
receptions to the diplomatic corps, |
as the most attractive spectacles in |
the social events of the Executive
Mansion during the fashionable sea-
son. Generals in the gorgeous trap
pings of military command, staff Off |
GERS in the uniform of their rank and |
duty; officers on foot, horse and ar
tillery, with their white, yellow and
red plumed helmets and accouter-
ments; naval officers in their gold |
dress suits and swords of
ceremony; marines in the bright col
ored uniforms of the guard, form a
brilliant contrast with the somber
attire of statesmen and savants,
and barmonize in the splendOr Of
colors with the elegant
toilets Of the ladies. On all these
occasions Gen. Sheridan is most
notable figure, but among all the
buzz and hum of conversation one
thinks instinctively OF seeing him in
the stirring times of long ago.
Sheridan's rise during the war was
rapid. When the Second Mic igan
Cavalry, in the spring of 1862, was in
search of commander, the little"
Captain, as he was even then called,
was sent them. His maiden fight
at Boonville, Miss, five weeks
later with his Michigan troopers,
made him brigardier, and at Muir
freesboro the same year a major
general of volunteers. In the fall of
1864 his defeat of Gen. Early at
Opequan and Fishers Hill made him
a brigadier Of regulars and a few
weeks later he was commissioned as
q major general in the regular army.
When Grant became President and
Sherman was advanced to general,
Sheridan followed in the line. When
Sherman passes away so disappears
the rank Of general. So with Sheridan.
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